James Beard Award Semifinalists Include Lots of Locals

The Biltmore Hotel's Palme d'Or has been nominated in three categories as a semifinalist in the 2009 James Beard Awards. Palme d'Or received recognition for Best Service, Best Wine Service, and Chef Philippe Ruiz for Best Chef: South categories.

The Palm d'Or, meanwhile, is competing for the Best Service Award with such notables as Campanile, Los Angeles; Daniel, New York; Emeril's New Orleans and Le Cirque at Bellagio, Las Vegas.

The 20 semifinalists in James Beard Award's 19 categories will be narrowed down to five finalists, which are to be announced March 23 at Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill in Chicago, the first time this ceremony will take place outside New York City. The May 4th James Beard Awards Gala will take place in New York City. Here's a complete list of semifinalists.